Pipe wrench having sliding link and pivoted jaw piece



Dec. 11, 1951 y H. G. GREATHousE 2,577,888

PIPE WRENCH HAVING SLIDING LINK AND PIVOTED JAW-PIECE Filed 0G13. 10, 194'?` 2 SHEETS-SHEET l A tio rneys Dec. 11, 1951 G GREATHOUSE 2,577,888

PIPE WRENCH HAVING SLIDING LINK AND PIVOTED JAW-PIECE Filed Oct. 10, 1947 2 SHEETS--SHEET 2 I m'eutor Allo rneys ,I

Patented Dec. 11', 1951 PIPE' WRENCH HAVING sLIDING LINK AND PIVOTED JAW PIECE Holly G. Greathouse, Dawes, W. Va.

Application October 10, 1947, Serial No. 779,105

1 claim. 1

This invention relates to a tool especially adapted for use in oil eld work and more particularly to a tubing tong or wrench which may be effectively and safely employed without danger of slippage on a pipe or tube and which in spite of applying great gripping pressure to the pipe or tube will not cut or deform it.

More particularly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a tool for use inmaking up joints in running pipe or tubing in wells which is especially durable and which may be operated even though certain of the parts thereof become broken. y

Various other objects and advantages of the invention will hereinafter become more fully apparent from the following description of the drawings, illustrating a presently preferred embodiment of the tool, and wherein:

Figure l is a side elevational View thereof;

Figure 2 is a top plan View of the tool;

Figure 3 is a bottom plan View of the same;

Figure 4 is a side elevational view, partly i n longitudinal section and showing the movable jaw of the tool in a partly retracted position, and

Figure 5 is an exploded perspective view showing the tool parts disassembled.

Referring more specifically to the drawings, the improved tongs or wrench is designated generally 6 and includes a head or body, designated genu erally 1, the forward end of which is restricted and curved downwardly and inwardly to form a hook-shaped fixed jaw 8 the concave work engaging face 9 of which is provided with spaced dies I which are embedded therein, transversely thereof and which protrude beyond the face 9 for biting engagement with a pipe or tube, not shown when the tool G is in an applied position.

The opposite, shank end II of the tool head or body 'I is enlarged and provided with a rearwardly opening recess I2 and a longitudinally extending bore I3 of non-circular cross section the rear end of which opens into said recess I2 and the forward end of which opens into the recessed portion I4 of the wrench head 1. The bottom portion I of the shank II forms a detachable section which is connected thereto by fastenings I6 for exposing the lower portion of the bore I3 and the bottom of the recess I2 when said shank section I5 is detached. As best seen in Figure 5, the rear end of the detachable section I5 is thickened on its underside as seen at I'I and grooved at I8 on the upper side of said thickened portion so that the groove I8 forms the lower part of the recess I2.

A handle I9 has an enlarged inner end which extends intovthe recess I2 and which inner end is provided with a notch 29 forming an upper apertured projection 2| through which extends a pivot pin 2 I which is anchored in the shank portion II for pivotally mounting said handle in substantially end-to-end relationship to the head 'I. Said inner end of the handle I9 is provided with a lower extension 22 from the upper inclined side of which projects an eye fastening 23 to which is anchored one end of a contractile coiled spring 24k which is anchored at its opposite end to an eye fastening 25 secured in the body II an which projects into the recess I2.

The sides of the lower handle extension 22 are recessed as seen at 26 to receive the corresponding ends of a pair of links 21 which are connected thereto by fastenings 28. A push rod 29 is reciprocally and non-rotatably disposed in the bore I3 and has a recessed rear end 30 receivable between the free ends of the links 21 and pivotally connected thereto by fastenings 3 I. The forward -end of the push rod 29 is disposed between a pair of rearwardly projecting ears 32 of a jaw 33 and is connected thereto by a fastening 34. The push rod 29 is provided with an upwardly projecting lip 35 at its forward end to afford a substantial bearing surface for receiving the pressure of the movable jaw 33 when in an applied position. A forward or work engaging face 36 of the jaw 33 is concave and is preferably toothed or serrated.

From the foregoing it will be readily apparent that the spring 2li will normally urge the handle I9 in a clockwise direction, as seen in Figures 1 and 4 for retaining the movable jaw 33 in a projected position. Accordingly, the handle I9 must be swung counterolockwise with respect to the head lI for applying the tool to a pipe or tube and when manual pressure is released therefrom, spring 2li by rocking the handle clockwise will project the push rod 29 and jaw 33 suiciently to maintain the tool applied and as pressure is applied tortionally in a clockwise direction to the handle I9 for rotating the pipe or tubing engaged thereby, the push rod 29 and jaw 33 will be further urged toward a projected position for effectively clamping the tool to the work piece to prevent slippage thereof. As this tortional pressure is applied, for advancing the jaw 33, the upper edge thereof will ride along the inner surface of the head Il of the recess which is disposed at a slight angle to the bore i3 so that the end 35 of the push rod will move into bearing engagement with the back side of the jaw 33 to relieve the pressure on the fastening 34 and the 3 handle portion 22 will move into engagement with the rear end of the push rod for relieving the pressure on the fastenings 28 and 3|. By the simple expedient of turning the handle I9 counterclockwise relatively to the head 1, the jaw 33 can be retracted for disengaging the tool head 1 from the work piece.

It willbe readilyobyious that the tool ,will still function even` if th'espring 24 .is broken although it will not maintain itself in an applied position i and various other parts may be rendered dam; aged or inoperative without preventing use of the tool.

without departing from thespirit or scope o f the Various modifications and changes 'arcon templated and may obviously hex. resortelwtm rocally disposed in said bore, said handle member having a portion adjacent its pivoted end pivotally connected to one end of said push rod, the opposite end of said push rod being disposed in said rst mentioned recess, a, movable jaw connected to the last mentioned end of said push rod for limited pivotal movement relatively thereto and supported-bytheipush rodkfol:= sliding movement in said stationary jaw for cooperation with the stationary jaw for engaging a workpiece, and means whereby aA portipjngf the push rod will move into vab1'j1ttir'-ig"engagexi'it with the movable jaw as thlttr approaches the stationary jaw.

HOLLY G. GREATHOUSE.

'RFERENCES CITED T.hefllowlng references are of record in the file of this patent: 

